The last few years have seen Square Enix release massive games like Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth, Octopath Traveler 2, and Dragon Quest 3 HD-2D. But a much lesser-known series, SaGa, has also enjoyed a resurgence. After both a remake and a new game in 2024, SaGa fans got another surprise with the latest Nintendo Direct, which revealed a full-blown remaster of the cult classic SaGa Frontier 2, complete with brand-new content. Even better, it’s out now on not just the Switch, but also PlayStation and PC. SaGa Frontier 2 is one of the quirkiest and most inventive PlayStation 1 RPGs, and now it looks and plays even better.
SaGa Frontier 2 is an offshoot of the larger Romancing SaGa series. If you’ve never played one, they have a distinctly different flavor from most of the era’s other RPGs. Unlike Final Fantasy and Dragon Quest, which are heavily guided experiences, SaGa games are extremely open-ended. The SaGa series was, in many ways, a predecessor to open-world games, giving you loose narratives that encourage exploration and experimentation. But the series is equally eclectic in how its gameplay keeps changing, including in the jump from SaGa Frontier 1 to 2.
SaGa Frontier 2 still uses an open-ended story structure, but has the most cohesive narrative of the franchise. The story is split across decades of two characters’ lives. On one side, you have Gustave XIII, who was meant to rule the kingdom of Thermes. But after he fails to develop magic abilities as a child, Gustave is banished and forced to survive on his own. Then there’s Wil Knights, a young man from a family of famous treasure hunters. After hearing about a legendary object called “The Egg,” Wil sets out to find it and secure his spot in history.
These stories interweave to tell a larger narrative. You’re free to explore the storylines in whatever order you want, but compared to other SaGa games, the focus on two heroes is what really makes the story stand out. The tale feels fragmented, but in a good way. It’s like watching a documentary of someone’s life as you jump around to key events.
The other major side of the game is combat, which uses the same experience systems as past SaGa titles. Essentially, you gain experience for every weapon or skill that you use. So if you use a sword, you’ll get sword experience and unlock new abilities as your character gets more adept with the weapon. This means you need to be deliberate about how you equip each character, and hone in on specific weapon proficiencies that can optimize your party.
This becomes especially true when you factor in the game’s three styles of battles: one-on-one, four-character party battles, and strategic battles with a large number of characters. You’ll keep swapping between each, and each one challenges you in a different way.
The combat can initially feel dense and intimidating, but it reinforces the story’s sense of freedom and gives players agency in how they want to craft their experience. SaGa Frontier 2 doesn’t hold your hand, and much of what makes it compelling comes from unpacking and learning its dense web of systems.
On top of all that, SaGa Frontier 2 has an evocative art style unlike any other PS1 RPG. The pre-rendered backgrounds look like they’re ripped from a children’s picture book, perfectly harnessing the whimsy of pastel and watercolor paintings. The world is simply a joy to explore, as you’ll want to see what new and colorful location might await you.
SaGa Frontier 2 is a brilliant little game that was overlooked in the deluge of PS1-era RPGs. It’s a gorgeous title with unique systems and boundless ambition. That ambition feels like it can finally be realized with this remaster, which doesn’t just give the game a graphics bump, but adds a handful of new scenarios to help flesh out the story.
If you’ve never played a SaGa game, Frontier 2 is the perfect place to start. It has all the core ideas the franchise is famous for, but provides a bit of guidance and structure. It’s a hidden gem from yesteryear that’s finally been buffed enough to shine.
